Dormant scale



March 1935 w. GUMPRiCH ET AL. 2mm

DORMANT SCALE Filed May 12, 1952 l 7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

NVENTOR ATTORNEY March 31, 1936- w. GUMPRICH ET AL DORMANT SCALE Filed May 12, 1932 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR 2 BY% Q.

ATTORNEY 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 W. GUMPRICH ET A DORMANT SCALE Filed May 12, 1932 March 31, 1936.

I i I: E| E r llllllllllilL 1 III! March 31, 1936.

w. GUMPRICH ET AL DORMANT SCALE Filed May 12, 1952 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 QdE mww

m? OIIIIIII m u INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 31, 1936- w. GUMPRICH ET AL DORMANT SCALE '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed' May 12, 1932 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 31, 1936 2,036,042

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DORMANT SCALE William Gumprich, Brooklyn, N. Y., and William N. Gilbert, Hudson Heights, N. J assignors, by mesne assignments, to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 12, 1932, Serial No. 610,856

2 Claims. (Cl. 265-71) This case relates to weighing scales, especially Fig. 18 is a detail end section of the pivot box those known as dormant scales. knife edge retainers.

The object of the invention is to provide im- Referring to the drawings in detail, the base provements in the various parts of a dormant box which sets into the scale pit IE] is built up of scale. These improvements are in the novel conchannel plates the side plates ll being similar 5 struction of base casing; a novel platform spider outwardly facing channels (see Figs. 1, 2 and 7) construction; novel hangers for suspending the having a rear integral channel section of greater platform and its spider from the levers; a novel height than the front channel section, this rear arrangement of backweighting lever and casing section being of such height as to bring it almost therefor; novel lever structures; and novel fulto the level of the floor in which the scale pit 10 crum stands for the base levers. is formed. The front section is below the floor Further and other objects and advantages will level in order that the platform which, as will be be hereinafter set forth in the accompanying later explained, is supported above the front secspecification and claims, and shown in the drawtion may also be at about the floor level so that ings, which by way of illustration show what loads may be conveniently moved from the floor 15 is now considered to be the preferred embodiment onto the platform. The front end of the base of the invention. box consists of an inwardly facing channel plate In the drawings: 12. By facing this channel inwardly, the maxi- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the scale outmum space at the front end of the scale is made side the scale pit; available for the accommodation of fulcrums for 2 Fig. 2 is a front view of the base and backthe base levers. weighting portions of the scale when in the scale Parallel to plate [2 are three channel plates [3, pit, partly sectioned; l4 and [5; plates ll, [2, and i3 defining the front Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of the base casing; base section, and the rear higher portions of Fig. 4 is a side view thereof partly broken away; plates l I defining with plates [3 and If), the rear 25 Fig. 5 is a side section through the lower part section. Welded onto the top flanges of the plates of the scale; of the rear section is the deck plate l6 having Fig. 6 is a view of the rear end of the platform an oval shaped hole ll through which the conspider; nection from the base levers extends to the head Fig. 7 is a view of one of the sides of the scale mechanism and its housing to be described later 30 base; which is supported on the deck. The maximum Fig. 8 is a plan section through the base with weight of the head mechanism and casing is on the platform removed and through the upper the rear portion of deck plate l6 and for this column; reason, channel bar I4 is provided to strengthen Fig. 9 is a detail of the fastening between the the rear section. 35 deck plate of the base and the housing for the Reinforcing triangular corner plates 18 are backweight lever; welded across the corners to the bottoms of the Fig. 10 is a top view showing the short lever channels ll, l2, and 13 while rectangular plates and its connections; l9 are provided at each side of the base, each Fig. 11 is a detail of the center connections plate I!) being welded to and extending across 40 between the main or long and auxiliary or short the bottoms of channels ll, 14, and Hi to stiffen levers; the rear portion of the base casing.

Fig. 12 is a detail of the spider and base pit To support the fulcrums of the base levers, four showing the check plates; fulcrum stands are provided, (see particularly Fig. 13 is a section on line l3--|3 of Fig. 11; Fig. 4) each consisting of a bottom plate 2! 45 Fig. 14 is a detail showing a fork of a lever Welded to the lower flanges of channels l2 and and the pivot box carried thereby, in their rela- 13 of the front base section. Each plate carries tion to the base housing; a vertically disposed angle piece 22, the back of Fig. 15 is a detail view of a connection from which is welded to the vertical portions of plate the platform to the pivot box and the fulcruming l2 or [3. Each angle piece 22 has cut therein a 50 of the pivot box on the base; substantially rectangular notch 23, the bottom Fig. 16 is a detail section taken longitudinally of the notch having a rounded edge to engage through a knife edge of the pivot box; the bottom of slots 24 in bearing blocks 25 which Fig. 17 is a detail of the platform connections are set into the notches 23. The walls of slots to the spider; and 24 engage the sides of the angle piece 22 to limit 55 sidewise movement of the blocks relative to the fulcrum stand to a very small amount while permitting the block to rock slightly laterally of the notch 23 on the curved bottom edge thereof (see Fig. 16).

Thrust edges 26 are formed on hearing block 25 to engage the sides of the notch 23 and limit longitudinal movement of the block on support 22 (see Fig, 15). Resting on blocks 25 are the diamond shaped knife edges 28 of the base levers, pivots. The blocks 25, being supported on stands 22 in the aforesaid manner permit self-alinement of the levers to a small degree, thus avoiding necessity for extremely fine adjustments of the fulcrum blocks 25 and their stands 22.

The fulcrum edges 28 are removably and adjustably gripped at each end by the two separate halves 29 of a collar which fits in a round hole formed in a pivot box 35. The halves 29 are forced together tosecurely grip the knifev edge 28 by means of a screw 3! which spreads a pair of balls 32 apart to wedge them against the lower half 29 and force the latter towards the upper half. At the same time, the balls 32 are wedged against the walls of the slot 33 extending in the direction of the screw 3| and opening into the hole in which the collar halves 29 are inserted. Balls 32 thus act as a wedge lock-to rigidly secure the collar against movement in the hole of the pivot box, while simultaneously locking the knife edge in position between the collar halves. The pivot box 36 rather than the lever to which it is attached is used to hold the knife edge 28 because being so much smaller than the lever it is easier to handle and machine so that it can be made far more accurate. Thus, the holes for supporting the collars and knife edges are more accurately alined and finished than would be possible if the holes were to be made and finished in the large lever itself which cannot be held as true in a finishing machine.

Pivot box also carries in addition to a fulcrum pivot 28, the diamond shaped platform supporting load knife edge 35 secured in the pivot box in the same manner as the fulcrum knife edge and which is hereinafter termed a load pivot. There are four such pivot boxes 30, two for the long or main base lever 35 and two for the short or auxiliary base lever 37. Each pivot box 30 has a top central flange or ear 38 (see Figs. 10 and 15) and a pair of bottom flanges or cars 39 extending laterally from each side of the pivot box. At each end of the cross bar 40 forming the base of the triangular portion of the long lever 36 and short lever 31 is a rearward extension comprising a fork 43, (see Figs. 8 and 10) the furcations of which extend at right angles to the cross bar. Each fork 33 carries one of the pivot boxes 30, the central ear 38 of the latter engaging the flat top of a boss 52 formed at the central portion of the fork and lateral cars 39 engaging the bottoms of flat bosses 35 at the outer end of each furcation of the fork, bolts 46 passing through the ears and bosses for securing the pivot box to the lever fork, (see particularly Fig. 15) The pivot box may be universally adjusted by shims 4'! placed between any of ears 38 and 39 and bosses 44 and 45. In Fig. 15, a shim 41 is shown at the rear end of pivot box 35 to raise the fulcrum pivot 28.

The triangular portion of the long base lever 36 is strengthened by two spaced parallel cross bars 49. The bars 49 are joined by longitudinal bars 5|] equally spaced from the longitudinal hereinafter referred to as the fulcrum.

center line of the lever. Bars 50 support between them a center pivot block 5! which has upper horizontal flanges 52 supported on the flattened tops of bars and secured thereto by bolts 53 (see Fig. 11). The pivot block 5! being small, is easily and accurately machined before attachment to the lever in the same manner and to the same advantage as pivot boxes 30. The block 5| carries a center knife edge 54 secured therein by means such as described in connection with the knife edges in pivot block 30.

The short lever 31 is A-shaped, the nose pivot 55 thereof being at the apex of a triangle of which the centerline of base 40 extends along a line drawn through the bolts 46 attaching the pivot boxes to the rear forks of the lever, and of which the sides are the center lines of the lever legs. This is done because it is found by tests that the weight of a load transmitted toeach leg of the lever is applied at the point attaching a pivot box 36 to the boss 45 and to avoid twist-.

ing stresses on the legs of the lever, it is desirable that the force at these points be carried in a straight line to the nose pivot 55 of the short lever which in turn transmits the force to the center pivot 54 of the long lever. When the force of the load is transmitted from the rear of the lever to the nose pivot along a line which does not coincide with the lever leg, the latter is placed under a twisting or torsional stress which tends to distort the lever from true shape.

Nose pivot 55 is secured in a pivot block 55 in the manner of the knife edges in pivot block 30, the block 56 having flanges 57 contacting the flat bottoms of furcations 58 at the nose end of the short lever and secured to the furcations by bolts 59.

A self-alining connection between pivots 54 and 55 is provided by a pair of links 60, upper and lower ends of which pivotally carry grooved bearings 6| engaging thepivots 54 and 55.

The platform 65 is supported on an open rectangular spider, the sides 69 and ends 10 of which are angle plates welded together at the corners. Referring to Figs. 14, 15, and 17, particularly, the spider is reenforced at each corner by a vertical angle piece H disposed within the angle of bar 69 and having one side welded to the base of this bar and the other side welded to the back of end bar 10.

Angle pieces H serve not only as reenforcements but have notches 12 at the lower ends to engage one of the V-notches T3 at one end of a short cross bar 74 the V-notch 13 at the other end being similarly engaged by the lower end of an angle piece 16 welded to the base of end bar It. The bar 74 hasremovably fixed thereto a center pin i1 having grooved portions at each end rotatably received in the lower elongated slots 18 of suspension links 19 which have similar slots in the upper end to rotatably receive grooved ends of a pin 80 secured to a V- grooved block 8i the latter resting on one of the load knife edges 35. The platform spider is suspended in this manner at each corner from a load pivot 35. By reason of bar 14 having equal loads transmitted thereto at each end by angle pieces TI and 15 and its being Very short, the bar does not have a tendency to spring or distort under the loads.

Each end angle 10 is cut out at the ends to form a passageway for the forked ends 43 of the levers, the fulcrum stands 2l22 being outside the limits of the platform spider. V

The rear angle 10 (see Fig. 6) is also cut out at the center to form a passageway for the forward end of the long lever 36. A tie bar 84 is secured to this angle bar I to span the bottom of the central cut out portion and strengthen the bar I0 against deflections under load. The forward end of the long lever passes above the tie bar 84.

In order to prevent the platform spider from tipping up too far at one side when a heavy load is placed too much to the other side, check elements 86 (see Figs. 8 and 12) are provided at each side of the spider to engage the bottom of horizontally extending flanges 81 of the scale pit frame to limit upward movement of the platform spider. The elements 86 can be located in operating position only after the spider is placed on the base levers, since the bases of angle bars 69 prevent manipulation of the elements from inside the spider.

The following means is provided to position and fix the elements 86 in place after the spider is assembled on the levers. The top flange of a bar 69 has two counter-sunk holes for receiving the heads of screws 89 and 99 threaded into a check element 86. The head of screw 89 has a loose fit in its hole and is rigidly fastened to element 86 by a nut 9!. Initially, the element 86 is held to the bar 69 by screw 89 alone which acts as a pivot for the element to permit it to be turned to the dotted line position as shown in Fig. 8. After the spider is assembled in the base, the screw 89 is rotated and since the screw is rigidly fastened to the check element 86, rotation of the screw also rotates the check element to position the check element in operating, full line position. Screw 90 is then inserted and threaded into element 86 to hold it in place beneath flange 81 of the scale pit.

The nose pivot 94 of the long lever 36 (see Fig. is secured in a pivot box 95 in the same manner as the pivots in box 39. Pivot box 95 has ears 96 for contact with the lower flat portions of the nose end of the long lever and screws passing through these ears are threaded into these portions to hold the pivot to the lever.

Supported on the deck plate I6 of the base casing is an intermediate housing 99 for enclosing and supporting the backweighting lever I00 which is intended mainly to provide a rough zero adjustment. As it is impossible to reach beneath the deck plate for manipulating a nut or bolt from the bottom of the plate to secure the housing 99 thereto, heavy securing screws are used. If the deck and upper flange of the channels I4 and I5 were themselves threaded, the thread would be too short. To provide a long threaded element to coact with the screws, at the time the base casing is assembled, internally threaded bushings I02 (see Fig. 9) are secured to the deck I6 and channels, I4 and I5, the bushings having shoulders I03 for engaging the bottom of the upper flanges of the channel bars to locate the bushings and reduced portions passing through alined holes in these flanges and the deck plate.

The upper end of the bushing is expanded into the hole in the deck plate to firmly fasten the bushing in place. The periphery of the bushing is square and positioned soclose to the sides of bars I4 and I5 that rotation thereof is limited by these bars.

The housing 99 is now secured to the deck plate I6 by screws I04 passing through holes in flanges I05 of the housing and threaded into bushings I02. A lever stand I06 fastened to the bottom of housing 99 carries a V-groove bearing I01 for supporting the fulcrum knife edge I08 secured to the lever in the manner of the pivots in pivot box 30. The lever I00 carries a poise I I0 which tends to rock the lever I00 clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 2,

thus opposing downward movement of the nose end of the long lever which is connected thereto by link H2. The front of housing 99 is grilled to provide openings through which the poise and other parts in the housing may be adjusted and inspected. Plates I I3 are secured to the housing to ordinarily cover the grilled front of the housing and prevent dirt and dust from entering into the housing. The left end of the lever I00, as viewed in Fig. 2 is connected to a link II5 which is in turn connected to tare lever I I6 of the head mechanism. The lever is connected by a tape I I8 to the pendulum and indicator system I I9 as fully disclosed in Patent No. 1,821,087.

The head mechanism consisting of all the parts of the scale above the intermediate housing 99 is enclosed and carried by a column and dial housing I29 secured at the bottom to the flattened boss I2l at the top of the housing 99 by bolts I22.

The base portion of the scale, the intermediate backweighting portion, and the head portion are separate, enclosed, self-contained and assembled units. Each unit may be used in a different scale; for example, the head unit may be applied to a different type of base, the base unit may be used with different head mechanisms, and the backweighting unit may be used with different sizes and capacities of bases and head mechanism.

While there has been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a single modification, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the following claims:

We claim:

1. A scale comprising a platform, a platform spider for supporting the platform and comprising a frame with substantially closed sides, base levers connected to the spider, a base frame and housing for the base levers, check elements for engaging horizontal portions of said base housing to limit the rise of the platform, and means for mounting the check elements on the spider for horizontally directed adjusting movement from positions clear of and remote from the aforesaid horizontal portions to positions underlying the aforesaid horizontal portions.

2. The scale as deflned in claim 1, and means cooperating with the check elements and spider for fixing the check elements in their operative positions with respect to the aforesaid horizontal portions of the aforesaid base housing.

WILLIAM GUMPRICH. WILLIAM N. GILBERT. 

